I Love Beer!

From some of my previous posts, I bet you thought I had forgotten about this redneck’s favorite beverage … beer!

Ah, beer.

It is a word that stands on its own! We don’t need a definition or to be lectured on its description. We know that a little barley & hops makes a wonderful beverage.

I’m almost positive that “beer” was one of my first words. As a small child, I remember seeing those bright cans (and I mean “cans” made from steel, yes I’m that old) with the iconic logos of Pabst, Schlitz, Budweiser and Black Label. No pull tabs, you needed a can opener to get inside. Cool, huh? Hey Pabst, let’s bring back some of those retro cans! Cone Top or Flat Top…Hmmm?

One of my uncles would coax me over and convince me to take a pull from his cold beer. Tasted like crap, but it would only be a few years until I developed a palate for the nectar of the gods!

I was grandfathered in to Virginia’s drinking laws at the age of 18. This meant I could belly up to the bar and enjoy a frothy adult beverage. A restaurant in Winchester, Va. is where I encountered my first dark beer…Lowenbrau Dark. The crew I ran around with during those days would give me a hard time about drinking the “foreign crap,” but I wanted to see if it was good. I have to say: “Hell yeah it was GOOD!”

Today, I will sample any kind of beer put before me. I do have my favorites, and there are a few styles I don’t care for but I will give them a taste. Had a bad experience with a Russian Imperial Stout…enough said!

Now that spring has arrived, that means so has the annual beer festival at Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown, Va. I have been going to this event for many years, and have to say that it is the premier beer festival in our area. The best part of this event is the laid-back/chilled atmosphere, and of course…the beer. A local distributor is the key holder to the day’s beverages being poured. On occasion, a local micro-brewery will take part and pour their product. Local music, some excellent food vendors and a few purveyors of fine cigars round out the event. I do enjoy firing up an Ashton Virgin Sun Grown stick on this day. Plus the cigar smoke helps with the long lines, as most people don’t like the smell of a fine cigar…Sissies!!!

If you’re thinking of joining crazynvirginia, you can get your tickets here: www.BelleGrove.org

And if you’re in Virginia’s Frederick, Shenandoah or Warren counties, I expect to see you at this celebration.

This is one of many festivals Tish and I will attend this year, and I hope to see some of my crazy-ass friends enjoying themselves.

Let’s get outside to those festivals and enjoy a beer or two…or three!!

Cheers, Bottoms Up, Salute & Slainte Y’all!!

Some Hard Rock & Some Vino!

This was one of those weeks where I could have used an extra day or two added on to the normal seven. I did enjoy five days off, but when you have company coming and the cleaning needs to be done (as well as the cooking), you need to have a day of relaxation.

I took an extra day off and my work week ended on Wednesday. So to get the weekend started I took a trip to Springfield, Va. to a small venue called Empire (formerly Jaxx Nite Club), and listened to a bunch of crazy guys from Memphis known as … Saliva! My first time seeing Saliva was at the DC101 Chili Cook Off in ’03, and I thought they sounded amazing — even for an outdoor event where it was raining. They have played in the area several times before, but scheduling issues kept me from attending.

This time, before I stood in line with the young folk, I went across the street to Austin Grill for a few adult beverages and good Tex Mex food. An appetizer of chicken quesadillas and the house burger was a good way to end a rough week at work. Washed it down with a few Negra Modelos, and then it was off to hear some tunes.

Empire is following the way Jaxx presented their music: three or four local acts perform before the groups that are tagging along with Saliva.

Some of the local artists who performed were good and I would give them a second listen if given the chance. If It Takes Forever, Silva Addiction from Oklahoma, Royal Bliss from Salt Lake City, Utah, & 12 Stones from New Orleans, played to get the crowd stoked for the headliner. At 11:15 p.m. Saliva took the stage! The set list included “Superstar,” “Ladies and Gentlemen,” “Rest In Pieces,” “Click Click Boom” and “Always.” The set lasted just under an hour, and even though it wasn’t long it was a hell of a show! If they stop to play in your town, buy a ticket and get your Saliva fix.

Wine pretty much dominated the rest of the mini vacation.

For four years running and as long as I’m able to do it, I’ll participate in the annual barrel tasting at Linden Vineyards. When January rolls around, I can look forward to the invitation from Jim Law to taste his future vintages and sample his newest releases. Each year we are amazed by how Jim has taken precautionary steps to ensure we get the best he has to offer. And like the previous years this one should be no different. Tish and I met her Papa and his main squeeze at the vineyard to get our drink on!

This was the year of the Chardonnay! The barrel tastings were dominated by the reds in the previous three years and the crappy conditions from ’11 were signs of low production of reds. His Chards were amazing along with his only red:

Barrel 1 ’11 Avenius Chardonnay
Barrel 2 ’11 Hardscrabble Chardonnay
Barrel 3 ’11 Boisseau Chardonnay
Barrel 4 ’11 Claret (Merlot, Cab Sauv & Cab Franc)

All were well-rounded and smooth, with one leaving a lasting impression: the Boisseau Chardonnay. The lone red (Claret) was young and it was low in tannins, so I’m sure it will evolve after it sits in the barrel.

Then it was time to taste his Special Releases:

’08 Boisseau Red (Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cab Franc)
’09 Boisseau Red (Merlot, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot)
’08 Hardscrabble Red (Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot)
’09 Hardscrabble Red (Cab Sauv, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cab Franc)
’08 Avenius Red (Petit Verdot, Cab Sauv)
’09 Avenius Red (Petit Verdot, Cab Sauv, Merlot)

All from the above list were very enjoyable and I will have to see how they pair with a stogie in a few weeks.

After consuming a bottle on Jim’s deck, we headed over to Glen Manor Vineyards to let our guests taste the some of the new releases, and of course the girls and I got a bottle to enjoy on this warm day.

Once the bottle was empty, we headed back to the house for dinner. For the vegetarians, shitake & oyster mushroom pizza, and for the carnivores a sausage pizza. Both with a garlic and sun dried tomato crust and fresh mozzarella and basil. The wine was this years Governor’s Cup winner, ’09 Glen Manor Hodder Hill. And for dessert, lemon snow drop cookies with ’10 Glen Manor Raphius dessert wine. Everything was succulent and everyone was full of wine and food — or as I like to say, “Fat & Sassy!”

Sunday was a day of rest for me and Tish. I had spent 2.5 days cooking and cleaning and closed the third day with good company and libations. Even dozed off while watching television, which is rare for me (quit rolling your eyes Tish). That alone will tell you it was an exhausting weekend. Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to go back to the rock quarry until Tuesday, so Monday was a day of complete rest. It was a good time, Tater. Ready for the next round of madness!